West Roxbury: Residents and City Hall differ on Centre Street plans

The Boston Globe reports that Centre Street in West Roxbury has had numerous incidents of vehicle to vehicle crashes and of cars hitting pedestrians, including one death in 2019, The city and residents understandably want to reduce car and human touches, but have different ideas of the best way to get there.Some West Roxbury residents want longer times for the walk signal at pedestrian crossings (allowing pedestrians more time to get across the street), more signalized intersections with those longer walk times (thus slowing down drivers who have to stop more frequently) and an increased police presence issuing tickets to speeders.The city wants to reduce Centre Street from four lanes to three between LaGrange and West Roxbury Parkway and add parking-free bike lanes. The city says this fits into the Mayor's "Safety Surge" program and will transform this area from a speedway into a pedestrian-friendly neighborhood.In 2019 under Mayor Marty Walsh, the city proposed the same plan. Opposed residents gathered 1,000 signatures and scuttled the plan. City officials say their minds won't be changed this time and construction will begin in October 2023.